An Unexpected Wedding (Treasured Dreams Book 5)

  An Unexpected Wedding

  by

  Susan Hatler

  An Unexpected Wedding

  Copyright © 2015 by Susan Hatler

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

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  Cover Design by Elaina Lee, For The Muse Design

  www.forthemusedesign.com

  Titles by Susan Hatler

  Kissed by the Bay Series

  Every Little Kiss

  The Perfect Kiss

  Just One Kiss

  The Sweetest Kiss

  Better Date than Never Series

  Love at First Date

  Truth or Date

  My Last Blind Date

  Save the Date

  A Twist of Date

  License to Date

  Driven to Date

  Up to Date

  Déjà Date

  Date and Dash

  Treasured Dreams Series

  An Unexpected Date

  An Unexpected Kiss

  An Unexpected Love

  An Unexpected Proposal

  An Unexpected Wedding

  An Unexpected Joy

  An Unexpected Baby

  Young Adult Novels

  Shaken

  See Me

  Praise

  “It totally made me smile.”

  -Getting Your Read On Reviews on An Unexpected Date

  “An Unexpected Date is a wonderful and perfect release to a stressful or crazy day.”

  -Cafè of Dreams Book Reviews

  “Susan has a knack for light hearted dialogue and describing the zing in the connection between Holly and Dave….Be on the look out for this delightful morsel.”

  -Tifferz Book Reviewz on An Unexpected Date

  “Susan Hatler has a knack for writing books that draw me in from the very first page!”

  -Books Are Sanity!!! on Love at First Date

  “Ms. Hatler has a way of writing witty dialogue that makes you laugh-out-loud throughout her stories.”

  -Night Owl Reviews on Truth or Date

  An Unexpected Wedding

  by

  Susan Hatler

  I sank back against the white leather couch at Huckleberry Hair Salon, wanting to be anywhere but here. The perky décor belied the myriad of crises that had become my life since Dave and I got engaged three months ago. Plus, the dark purple pillows were digging into my back. Ugh. I adjusted the stiff pillows, trying to relax to no avail. I wished I could just bolt from the salon, but that wasn't possible since my best friend, Michele, had called in a favor with her hairdresser for this free hair and make-up trial for my upcoming wedding.

  If there was even going to be a wedding.

  I'd met my fiancé, Dave, at the Falling Leaves Festival here in my beloved small mountain town of Whitefish, Montana last September when he'd purchased one of my handmade beaded bracelets from my Treasured Creations booth. With his thick dark hair, dazzling blue eyes, and sweet smile, I'd immediately assumed he had purchased the silver and topaz bracelet for his girlfriend. Turned out he'd bought the piece as a gift to his mother, which made me want to do a happy dance. Even better, he invited me out to dinner for that night. Yay!

  Since the first time we met, I suspected there was something special about Dave. Our first kiss sealed my excitement, our first declarations of love lifted my heart to a whole new level, and when he proposed to me at the top of Big Mountain I'd happily said, “Yes!” My life couldn't have been better. I loved living in my beautiful resort town, my thriving jewelry business inspired me every day, and now I was going to marry the man of my dreams.

  Things pretty much slid downhill from there.

  “I appreciate you getting me a hair and make-up appointment free of charge, Michele, but this is a complete waste of time.” I sank lower in my seat, then squinted at the odd gleam in my friend's eye and at how giddy she looked. “I'm not sure what you're so excited about. Dave's family and mine can't even agree on a date for the wedding and everyone's been arguing about it all summer long. What good will it do me to have my hair and make-up perfect? It's not like we can move forward with plans until I can talk everyone into an actual wedding date.”

  “This appointment is going to give you perspective, Holly.” She reached across the high-end sofa cushions and squeezed my forearm. “I know you've been stressed, but Delilah will work her magic and make you look like a princess bride.” Her lips twisted to the side. “Er, a mountain princess bride. Whatever. The point is you'll see what a beautiful bride you're going to be, and that will make you realize how beautiful your entire wedding is going to be. After this appointment, I bet everything falls into place. Just like that.”

  I watched her snap her fingers and my brows shot upward. “I have no idea where your optimism is coming from, certainly not from reality. In three months, the only thing about the wedding that's settled is my dress and I'm sure my mom will find some reason to veto the gown as soon as she sees it.” I pressed my fingers against my cheeks and blew out a frustrated breath. “What kind of woman can't plan a simple wedding properly? I'm a total failure as a fiancée.”

  “Hey, don't bag on my best friend like that.” Her brows knit together, then she tucked a chunk of her silky dark hair behind her ear. “You need to think positively, like the optimistic woman I know you to be. Besides, your mom is going to love your dress. It's spectacular. I should know since I'm the one who pointed it out to you. You're welcome.”

  “It's hard to think positively when my entire future is on the brink of imploding.” My hands tightened into claws, and my chest ached. “You obviously don't understand how stubborn and controlling my mom can be. Even if she approves of my wedding grown, which would defy all laws of nature, she might change her mind the very next day.” I held up my index finger. “A prime example of this is the wedding date. Every time Dave and I make a suggestion, in order to book a location, she says yes. Then ten minutes later, she calls us back with a reason that day's not going to work. It's infuriating.”

  “Moms can be difficult.” Her tone sounded casual as she picked up a fashion magazine and started flipping through it, looking perfectly at ease. For some reason this only ratcheted up my nerves. Wasn't the maid of honor supposed to validate the bride-to-be's concerns? I'd declared her my most cherished friend, so she could at least have the decency to freak out with me.

  My pulse pounded as I leaned toward her, placing my hand over the page she was reading about skinny jeans versus leggings. “I haven't even gotten to Dave's mom. She thinks it would be romantic for one of her children to get married on a major holiday. Her vote is the Fourth of July. She wants me to carry a bouquet of red, white, and blue roses-”

  “Take deep breaths.” Michele splayed her fingers across her chest and started taking exaggerated breaths as if I were supposed to follow suit. “Come on, sweetie. You're hyperventilating. This is supposed to be the happiest time of your life.”

  “That's what I keep telling myself.” I threw my gaze at the ceiling, feeling the fire prick behind my eyes. “But I've been such a wreck these past few months that Dave is pretty much avoiding me. I've hardly seen him this past week and I wouldn't be surprised if he's reconsidering marrying me.”

  She shook her head immediately. “No chance of that happening. That man is so head over heels in love with you. I'm sure he'd marry you in an igloo if that's what you wanted. Have you tried talking to him about how you're feeling?”

  “Yes, but that only made things worse,” I said, remembering back to our disagreement two weeks ago. “I was sitting at my kitchen table and noticed this pair of blue jays outside my window. They were flittering back and forth between two branches on the same tree. Their interaction was like a dance and I felt inspired for the first time in weeks.”

  “That's great,” she said, smiling.

  “So I created a rose gold wedding band to match my engagement ring, replicating the same lacey pattern from my mom's wedding veil that I'd also embossed onto my engagement band.” My jaw tightened and I paused. “Then the phone rang.”

  Michele tucked her chin. “Any chance it was good news?”

  “Hardly. My mother called to remind me that I'm her only child and this is her one chance to be part of her daughter's wedding. Then she suggested we get married on the same date she and my dad did, which is ten months from now. We don't want to wait that long.” My shoulder blades squeezed together and I threw my hand up. “I got off the phone and started bawling my eyes out. Dave walked in and I freaked out on him because he suggested
we forget planning a big wedding and just get married by ourselves at Danica's where we had our first date.”

  “Oh, we should go to Danica's for lunch after this!” Michele said, a little too enthusiastically considering I'd just confided my engagement was crumbling thanks to my inability to make everyone happy. “It's a short walk and they have a fabulous halibut special today.”

  I blinked several times. “I'm a vegetarian.”

  “Yeah, but not everyone else is . . .” Her eyes widened and a strange expression crossed her face. Then she thrust her hand to her chest. “I mean, I'm not a vegetarian. You're not going to deny your best friend the halibut special, are you? Huh?”

  Okay, now Michele was seriously losing it. Maybe all of my stress had rubbed off on her. “Fine. We can go to Danica's for lunch if you want. My treat, although I doubt I'll be much fun. It just breaks my heart that Dave's ready to give up on the wedding, because I really want everyone I love to be there. If I can't find a way to organize one wedding day properly, then how am I going to tackle any future problems that come our way until death do us part?”

  Michele remained silent, confirming she still didn't understand where I was coming from. My ability to be a good wife was on the line, yet I still didn't have a clue how to get all our families to agree on one measly date.

  “Forget it,” I said, with a sigh. Instead of trying to convince her further, I picked up a local magazine, and tried to push my frustrations out of my mind. I flipped through the pages about hiking, biking, and boating. Then my heart froze as I stared at a glamour shot of Glacier Park-the site of the first moment I'd fallen in love with Montana.

  Emotions burst through me as I gazed at the picturesque photo. The deep blue sky provided a colorful backdrop against the jagged brown peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Frozen streams ran down the length of the mountains in thin white veins, and Lake McDonald stretched out below creating a serene effect. For a moment, I felt transported back in time, and I could hear the echo of my dad's laughter as he chased me around a campfire. My throat tightened as I set the magazine back down. “The truth is . . . today's a significant day for me.”

  She gave me an encouraging side-glance. “Of course it is, sweetie. We're checking something off your list. So stop worrying about the rest of the wedding plans and enjoy each moment.”

  “Actually, the special meaning of today has nothing to do with planning the wedding.” I sucked in a deep breath. Even though Michele and I were close in a lot of ways, there were some things I'd only ever felt comfortable sharing with Dave. But my heart ached and I really needed my friend. I let my breath out slowly. “Today is the anniversary of when my dad took me camping in Glacier Park when I was ten.”

  “Oh . . .” Her gaze held mine and her mouth formed a tight line, letting me know she understood that I was opening up to her about something very important to me.

  “My dad and I discovered Whitefish together during that same vacation. We swam in Whitefish Lake, hiked Big Mountain, and watched bald eagles soar across the valley.” My throat went raw and I reflexively fingered the precious bald eagle charm clasped to my necklace. “That's when I fell in love with this area and why I moved here after college. A few years after I made this lovely town my home, my dad died.”

  Her eyes shimmered. “I'm sorry. I never knew.”

  “It's hard for me to talk about,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Planning my wedding to the love of my life in this special mountain town should be the pinnacle of my life thus far. Instead, everything's a mess, and I can't think of a way to fix it. And worst of all. . . I just wish my dad could be at my wedding to walk me down the aisle.”

  “Of course you do.” She scooted close to me, wrapped her arm around me, and I dropped my head to her shoulder. We were quiet a few moments, then she patted my back. “I'm so glad your dad brought you here because I don't know what my life would be like if I'd never met you.”

  I gave a small nervous laugh. “Yeah, I must be a real joy to be around right now.”

  She chuckled. “You just need to focus on one thing at a time, hair and make-up, and have faith that the rest will fall in line.”

  I sighed, feeling some of the weight lift off my shoulders. “But what about-”

  “Holly Andrews? Are you ready?” A tall blonde dressed all in black pranced toward us, waved her fingers at Michele, then held her hand out to me. She had a dynamic smile and gave off a vivacious vibe. “I'm Delilah. Michele's told me a lot about you.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I stood and squeezed her hand, feeling a glimmer of excitement for the first time in weeks. Maybe planning this wedding was actually something that I could do. Hair and make-up meant a first step. Plus, my mother wasn't here to smack it down. Bonus!

  An hour and a half later, Michele clapped her hands and squealed from behind my styling chair. “You look stunning, Holly!”

  I swiveled in my chair and faced the mirror, surprised at who I saw staring back at me. My normally wild chestnut curls had been tamed, resting in soft ringlets against my shoulders. Normally I didn't wear much make-up-if any-but Delilah had used neutral tones for my skin, and a splash of color on my eyelids to accentuate my hazel eyes. My lips were glossed with a soft rose color that very much perfected my bridal look.

  “Wow,” I said, unable to think of a more appropriate word. “I look like I'm getting married . . .” My voice drifted off as I remembered that this would only be true if I could get both of our families to agree on a wedding date-a large detail that deflated the excitement I'd felt over Delilah's beautiful handiwork.

  “Oh, no.” Michele reached for my arm and pulled me to my feet. “Don't lose that happy feeling I saw a moment ago. Stop thinking and let's go enjoy a nice lunch.”

  “You're right,” I said. Although the weight of my problems had returned, I thanked Delilah and assured her that I'd hire her to do my hair and make-up for my wedding in the miraculous event that I could actually get our families to secure a date-a long shot at best. But Michele had been right about Delilah working her magic on me. I almost felt too elegant for lunch but didn't want to disappointment my friend, who seemed to be looking forward to the halibut special with an unprecedented degree of enthusiasm.

  When we stepped out of Huckleberry Hair Salon and into the warm summer air, I immediately glanced over at Big Mountain and its unique pattern of ski runs-currently brown without the winter snow-woven between thick green trees. As I stared at that beautiful mountain a warm feeling washed over me, reminding me of a time that I'd wanted to move to this small mountain town so badly but starting a new life here seemed too hard. Well, I hadn't given up on my dreams back then, so I wasn't about to start now.

  I just had to think of a way to bring everything together for this wedding. But, how?

  Michele linked her arm through mine as she opened the rustic wood door to Danica's, but when we stepped inside the charming restaurant my heart sank. What the . . .? The entire place appeared to be decked out for a wedding.

  “Guess we won't be having lunch here after all,” I said, pointing out the obvious. But Michele made no move to leave. I glanced around the restaurant, feeling both happy and envious of whoever was having their wedding here. Through the large back windows, I could see guests seated in neat rows on the outside deck, which I knew had a gorgeous view of Whitefish Lake. The location was small, quaint, and in my opinion idyllic for a wedding.

  My mother and future mother-in-law would never go for such a place. They both had big plans for a big wedding, and the thought left me exhausted.

  Ironically, the colors of the centerpieces and linens on the tabletops matched perfectly to what Dave and I had initially wanted: pale green, pink and white. My mom had talked us out of those colors. She kept saying that it would look too much like a prom, even though we felt they created a romantic combination with a nice summer feel. Clearly, Michele and I would have to select another location for lunch, but it was bittersweet to see I'd been right about the colors looking perfect together. I had to find a way to talk my mom into liking them.

  “Let's see if they have some place for us in the back,” Michele suggested, knocking me out of my thoughts. She kept her arm linked with mine, and led me across the room.